stover



(No Model.) 8 SheetsSheet 1. P. N. STOVER.

GEARING FOR BIGYGLES.

No. 564,948. Patented July 28, 1896.

zen/T556 w) (No Model.) 3 SheetsSheet 2. P. N. STOVE-R. GEARING FORBIGYULES.

No. 564,948. Patented July 28, 1896.

lilllllllllllllllfllllllll W 2% wmmwm (No Model.) 8 Sheets-Sheet 3.

P. N. STOVER. GEARING FOR BIGYGLES.

No. 564,948. Patented July 28, 189 6.

E279?- J/Sicruer m: mamas Pawns co. wom'uwo WASHING YQN u. c.

.21 Ziorney UNITED STATES PATENT EEicE,

PETER- N. STOVER, OF SAGINAlV, MICHIGAN, ASSIGNOR OF FOUR-NINTHS TO MARKE. STOVER AND FRANK S. SPENCER, OF SAME PLACE.

GEARING FOR BIGYCLES.

SIECIFICA'IION forming part of Letters Patent No. 564,948, dated July28, 1896.

Application filed February 15, 1896- Ssrial No. 579,402. No modeld Toall whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, PETER N. S'rovnn, a citizen of the United States ofAmerica, residing at Saginaw, East Side, in the county of Saginaw andState of Michigan, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inGearing for Bicycles; and I do hereby declarc the following to be afull,clear,and exact description of the invention, such as will enableothers skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use thesame, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to lettersof reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

The object of this invention is to provide an improved manner of drivinga bicycle or analogous machine through the medium of treadles whichconnect with gearing inclosed within a casing, so that a depression ofeither one of the treadles will cause one or more revolutions of thedriving-wheel.

The invention consists more especially in the construction andcombination of the parts, as will be hereinafter fully set forth, andparticularly pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specification, Figure1 is a side elevation showing a bicycle with my improvements appliedthereto. Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional view on the line 2 2 of Fig. 3.Fig. 3 is a vertical sectional view on the line 3 3 of Fig. 2. Fig. i isa detail perspective view of the combined ratchet-disk and sprocketwheeland one of the shafts carrying pawis which engage therewith. Fig. 5 is afront elevation, partly in section, of the guide bars for the treadles,showing the manner of connecting the treadles to each other so that theywill move in unison 3 and Figs. 6 and 7 are de tail views.

The main frame A of the bicycle is of the usual type, the shaft-hangerat the junction of the rear fork a with the seat-post and lower tubingbeing dispensed with. The ends of the members of the rear fork aareconnected to the bars which extend to the upper end of the seat-post bymeans of suitable forgings A, having transverse openings to receivesleeves B B, which are connected at their innor ends to the side pieces0 c of a frame 0, said sleeves being held in rigid engagement with theforgings by locking pins or keys Z). The side pieces 0 c of the frame Care connected to each other by cross-bars c and are provided withbearings for a plurality of shafts, preferably three in number,according to the gear or distance it is proposed the bicycle shall bedriven upon each depression of a treadle.

D D designate the treadlcs or foot-levers, which are rigidly attached tothe outer ends of shafts D D',which pass through the sleeves B, and saidshafts have formed on their inner ends a disk D the edge of which iscutaway at intervals tangentially to receive spring-actuated pawls d.Each disk is provided centrally with a recess d, forming axial bearingsfor the stub-shafts e of a sprocket-wheel disk E, which lies betweensaid disks when the parts are assembled. On each side of thesprocket-wheel disk E is attached a ring E, having internalratchet-teeth c, with which the pawls (Z of the disks ID engage, andprojections which form lateral extensions of the teeth on the disk E. Itwill be noted, by reference to Fig. 2, that the arrangement of the pawls(Z with respect to the teeth 6 is such that only one of said pawls willbe in positive engagement with a ratchet-tooth while the others are atdifferent distances from their respective or adjoining teeth. This isattained by making the pawls d of different lengths, and in connectionwith myim provements has a decided advantage of taking up lost motionand preventing backlash, for it does not matter at what point thedepression of a treadle may cease there will be a positive engagementofone of the pawls with a ratchet-tooth, so that there is not the lostmotion that usually occurs from the employment of pawls and ratchets,and consequently there is less wear upon the parts.

Itwill be understood that the shafts Darc rocked alternately by thedepression of the treadles, and this movementwill cause a constantrotation of the sprocket-wheel E by reason of the ratchet-rings E beingattached thereto and engaged by the pawls d, as hereinbefore described.Over the sprocket-wheel E passes a chain, which also passes over asmaller sprocket-wheel F, mounted on a trans verse shaft f, havingsuitable bearings in the side pieces 0 of the frame 0, said shaftcarrying another sprocket-wheel F, which is of larger diameter than thesprocket-wheel F, and is geared to a smaller sprocket-wheel G, keyed toa transverse shaft g, also journaled in the frame C and provided with alarger sprocket-wheel G, connected by chain to a smaller sprocket-wheelH on a shaft h, journaled in the frame 0. The shaft h is provided with alarger sprocket-wheel H, over which passes a chain extending to asprocketwheel I, mounted upon one of the sleeves B and rigidly connectedto a frame or housing K, which forms the hub of the rear or drivingwheel.

Instead of using only three sets of sprocketwheels, as shown in Fig. 2and hereinbefore described, I may employ additional sets, carrying outthe same manner of connecting them to each other.

The housing or hub K consists of side pieces or disks which are mountedupon the sleeves B and are connected by a rim K, having extended flangesk, to which the spokes of the rear wheel are connected. This housing orhub is made dust-proof, and the shape or configuration of the innerstationary frame 0 maybe changed to triangular shape or otherwise,according to the number of sets of sprocket-wheels employed.

It will be noted that the frame 0 remains stationary with respect to theframe of the bicycle,while the housing or hub K revolves about the same.It will also be noted that in the employment of this style of gearingshort sprocket-chains are used, and when they are once adjusted the wearor stretching of the same will be very slight and not to the same degreeas a longer chain; but the usual adjusting means for the shafts f, g,and h may be employed for regulating the tension of said chains, if sodesired.

L designates a frame which is adjustably attached to the seat-post ofthe bicycle-frame, and consists of a horizontal bar L, having dependingmembers L L cut away front and rear to receive the treadles D, thedownward movement of the treadles being limited by transverse piecesformed at the ends of said depending members. At the angles of the frameL the tubing is cut away to receive brackets Z, which carry groovedrollers or pulleys, said brackets having upturned ends which embrace thetubing and reinforce the frame at this point. The brackets are securedto the frame in any suitable manner, so that they can be readily removedfor the purpose of lubricating the bearings of the rollers.

Over the grooved rollers or pulleys passes a flexible connection N,which is connected at its ends to the foot-levers or treadles by meansof clamps 12. These clamps encircle the treadles and are provided withclampingnuts n. By this arrangement the foot-levers or treadles areconnected to each other so that a downward movementof one will raise theother, and the frame L is adj ustable upon the seat-post, so that theheight of the trea dles from the ground can be varied. This adjustment,with the Vertical adjustment of the saddle, allows a great range ofadjustment with a single frame and gives the rider the option of havingthe treadles either high or low. The forward ends of the treadles areprovided with pedals of any suitable construction.

The treadle movement I consider much more healthful and a greater savingof power, and one in which a greater force can be applied than by theordinary crank movement. The construction I have shown and describedpermits the rider to give any desired extent of downward movement thathe may desire, and being a direct push greater power can be applied withless exertion than with the crank movement. The force or downwardmovement upon one of the treadles serves to raise the other, and thusthe use of springs to restore the treadles to their normal position isdispensed with. Springs are undesirable in bicycle construct-ion, asthey are liable to weaken or break in use, and practical demonstrationhas shown that cog-wheels are impracticable for successful use in gearfor bicycles, as they are liable to rapid wear. and, when closelyfitting, give an undue amount of friction, besides having otherobjectionable qualities.

Having thus described my invention,wl1at I claim as new, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is-

1. As an improvement in driving-gear for bicycles, the combination, ofindependent driving-shafts, a sprocket-wheel common to both shafts anddriven thereby, and a plurality of sprocket-wheels of different sizesmounted on shafts supported in a stationary frame, the lastsprocket-wheel of the series being attached to a rotary housing or hub,substantially as shown and for the purpose set forth. I

2. A driving-gear for bicycles consisting of a stationary frame carryinga plurality of shafts upon which are mounted sprocketwheels of difierentsizes, a rotary frame or hub having a sprocket-wheel attached thereto, asprocket-wheel having ratchet-rings attached thereto, and independentdrivingshafts supporting the said sprocket-wheel and carrying pawlswhich engage the ratchetrings thereof, substantially as shown and forthe purpose set forth.

3. A driving-gear for bicycles comprising a frame suitably connected tothe main frame of the bicycle, so as to be in fixed engagementtherewith, a pluralityof shafts mounted in said frame and carryingsprocket-wheels of different sizes, shafts having their ends locatedwithin the frame and serving as supports for a central sprocket-wheelwhich is adapted to be driven by either shaft, a rotary casing orhousing inclosing the gearing and provided with a sprocket-wheel, andchains IIO for connecting the sprocket-wheels, for the purpose setforth.

a. The combination in a gearing for bicycles, of sleeves rigidlyattached to the main frame and connected at their inner ends to a framecarrying a series of shafts upon which are mounted sprocket-wheels ofdifferent sizes; a rotary casing mounted upon the sleeves and providedwith a sprocketavheel, chains for connecting the sprocket-wheels;together with driving-shafts having disks on their inner ends carryingpawls and centrally recessed; a sprocket-wheel having ratchetrings andstub-shafts journaled in the recesses in the disks, substantially asshown and described.

5. In a gearing for bicycles, the combination, of sleeves rigidlyattached to the main frame of the bicycle, a frame rigidly connected tothe inner ends of the sleeves, a plurality of shafts mounted in theframe and carrying sprocket-wheels of different sizes; shafts mounted inthe sleeves and provided with disks having spring-actuated pawls andcentral recesses; a sprocket-wheel having ratchet-rings attached theretoand provided with stub axles or shafts which bear in the recesses in thedisks; together with a casing or hub loosely mounted on the sleeves andprovided with a sprocket-wheel connected thereto, and chains forconnecting the sprocketwheels, substantially as shown and for thepurpose set forth.

6. The combination in a bicycle, of a frame having a frame connectedthereto by sleeves, driving-shafts mounted in the sleeves and engaging asprocket-wheel which is connected by chains to sprocket -wheels mountedon shafts journaled in the inner frame and to a sprocket-wheel attachedto the hub of the driving wheel; together with treadles attached to theshafts, said treadles being connected to each other, substantially asshown and for the purpose set forth.

7 The combination in a bicycle having a driving gear substantially asshown, of treadles extending from said driving-gear;

together with a frame clamped to the frame of the bicycle and consistingof a tube bent or constructed to present a horizontal portion andmembers depending from the ends thereof, said depending members beingslotted to receive the treadles and provide guides therefor, groovedrollers located at the angles of the frame, and a flexible connectionpassing through the tube or frame over the rollers and attached at itsends to the treadles, substantially as shown and described.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

PETER N. STOVER.

Witnesses JNo. P. ODONNELL,

GEO. XV. SMITH.

